Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 10.djvu/131

 12 S. X. FEB. 11, 1022.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 101 LONDON, FEBRUARY 11, 1922. CONTENTS. No. 200. NOTES : Sir Kichard Willys. Traitor, 101 Principal London Coffee-houses, Taverns and Inns of the Eighteenth Century, 102 Commonwealth Marriages and Burials in the Aldeburgh ^Register Book, 104 The Twenty-four Hour Clock Ap- prentices to and from Overseas, 106 East London Coffee- houses, 107. UERtES : ' La Santa Parentela,' 107 Eighteenth- century Poets Colonel Charles Whitefoord, 108 White of Sel- borne : Portrait wanted Ornithologists Early Irish Volun- teers Regimental Chaplains. H.M. 65th Regiment Anglo- Saxon Riddle, ' The Cuckoo ' De Haryngy Armageddon Chapel, Clifton Lady Guildford, 109 Croft of Barforth : Leedes of North Milford Samuel Hartlib Chevalier Schaub The H6tel Vouillemont James Conway Edward Capern Heraldic Mottoes Pirnlico Huguenot Bible Lord Bea- consfleld and Ude the Cook Joseph Auterac, 110 Sir Richard Blackmore Mayhew Great Public Schools- King and Ormiston Families Authors wanted, 111. REPLIES : The Troutbeck Pedigree. Ill Meiler Magrath, Archbishop of Cashel Launching of Ships, 112 Blue Beard De Kemplen's Automaton Chess-player Cole- or Coale-rents Charm of St. Colme Bears, 113 British Settlers hi America Brewers' Company Pictures in the Hermitage at Petrograd, 114 Surnames as Christian Names The Arms of Leeds Dante's Beard Baron Grant Adah Isaacs Menken's ' Infelicia ' John Wesley's First Publication ' British Melodies Welsh Map sought " To burn one's boats," 115 Final " den " in Kentish Place- names Translation of Motto required Smokers' Folk-lore Spelling of " Champagne " Ceremonial Vestments of the Judiciary The English " h " : Celtic, Latin and German Influences, 116 Vice-Admiral Sir Christopher Mings Prime Minister Inscriptions on an Icon, 117 The Papal Triple Crown Freedom of a City Authors wanted, 118 Matthew Arnold : Reference sought, 119. NOTES ON BOOKS : ' Life of Henry, Third Earl of South- ampton ' ' Calendar of Entries in Papal Registers ' 4 Hampshire.' NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS SIR RICHARD WILLYS, TRAITOR. THE last volume of the ' Nicholas Papers,' recently published, has thrown some addi- tional light upon the treachery of Sir Richard Willys of the " Sealed Knot," and sets out the notice posted upon the Exchange by George Paule in 1659 denouncing Willys as a traitor. And as Sir Samuel Morland's " Narrative" of Willys's treason was printed in 1913 in the Rev. Dr. John Willcock's last we are getting to the bottom of a curious and little understood story, about which all the older writers are more or less in error. Two questions, however, remain to be settled ; and the first is one of very great historical importance. The first is, when did Sir Richard Willys first commence be- traying the Royalists into Cromwell's hands ? Mr. Firth, in his 'Last Years of the Protecto- ftite ' (i. p. 30), states that Willys's treason did not begin before 1656, but hardly gives direct evidence in support of this assertion. The second question is, what defence did Willys offer when the inquiry into his con- duct was held in 1660. On May 15, 1660, Willys was condemned, but was pardoned on condition that he never again came into the King's presence or entered into the " verge of the Court." The first question is answered to some extent by Willys's petition to Cromwell in 1654, and the second by his signed defence read at the inquiry in 1660. Both docu- ments are to be found in the State Papers. The editress of the Calendar of Domestic State Papers for 1654 made no reference whatever to the petition in her index to the Calendar, either under the name " Willis " (by which she persistently misdescribes Sir Richard) or under the name " Willys," as he himself wrote it. So that, in the first place, I must point out that, nevertheless, she prints her version of the petition on p. 293 of the Calendar for 1654 under the date of " Aug. 10." I quote this before setting out the document itself : Aug. 10. Petition of Rich. Willis [sic] prisoner in the Tower, to the protector. I have been close prisoner since 26 May last, but neither loss of liberty nor friends so burdens me as the fear pi having fallen into your displeasure. I hope in your compassion that you will accept sufficient bail to my enlargement, and I will express my gratitude by obedience. Also I still beg a licence to transport some Irishmen to serve the Vene- tians against the Turks, engaging for the faithful performance of my propositions. With refer- ence thereon to Council [1 page]. There are some more references in the same Calendar to Sir Richard Willys. On p. 436, under the date of June 2, a warrant to Serj. Dendy for Sir Richard's arrest and committal to the Tower is en- tered. Yet in both petition and defence he asserts that he was arrested in. May. Where and why had he been kept prisoner I before his final committal to the Tower on June 2 ? And on p. 354, apparently under the date of Sept. 1, there is Cromwell'^ Council's report. Yet it was not acted upon. Sir Richard Willys's petition runs as follows : To his highness the lord protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. The humble petition of Richard Willis now prisoner hi ye Tower. Sheweth That though your petitioner hath been close prisoner since the 26th of May last ; yet, neither the loss of his liberty, which was all, his wealth,
 * Life of Sir Henry Vane the younger,' at